Yeah it would explain a lot. I wish someone had told me "I think you might have ADHD" when I was younger. I was a grown ass man going around thinking "I am completely neuroptypical", ignoring all the signs being glaringly obvious, and making fun of "spergs", who I definitely totally didn't understand (most of my friends at any given time).
Ironically it was a coworker who had been diagnosed in his 30s and had since experienced his life drastically improving, who approached me. He told me I should get tested, but I was extremely skeptical. He then proceeded to nail me to the fucking wall by listing all the strange behaviors he'd observed, including shit I was shit doing while he was talking to me
In hindsight, it was extremely obvious. But it's so easy to chalk up to personal quirks and the default assumption is neuroptypical. Especially if you're over a certain age or part of an underserved group who didn't have access to mental health services.
He then proceeded to nail me to the fucking wall by listing all the strange behaviors he'd observed, including shit I was shit doing while he was talking to me
Holy shit, that's a bit rough.
I'm late diagnosed autistic and ADHD, and whenever I have someone around me realise that they're neurodivergent I always insist that they be gentle with the people around them who are (suddenly) glaringly obviously neurodivergent themselves.
When I'm around undiagnosed neurodivergent people it just so happens that I often share reflections on my own realisations or my own behaviours which are relevant to what's going on for that undiagnosed ND person and they will either say something like "Shit, I do that too..." or they will be silently thinking it in their heads. Obviously I let them work through it on their own time but, to be honest with you, sometimes it takes a lot of effort not to lock eyes with them while deliberately nodding my head up and down slowly.
You have to go easy on people because being late-diagnosed can really feel like the rug is being pulled from under you.
In hindsight, it was extremely obvious. But it's so easy to chalk up to personal quirks and the default assumption is neuroptypical. Especially if you're over a certain age or part of an underserved group who didn't have access to mental health services.
The worst bit of this is when you're diagnosed at 30+, you ask your parents if they saw the signs or if you were a "good kid" and they're like "oh yeah you were hyperactive as shit lmao"
Yeah it would explain a lot. I wish someone had told me "I think you might have ADHD" when I was younger. I was a grown ass man going around thinking "I am completely neuroptypical", ignoring all the signs being glaringly obvious, and making fun of "spergs", who I definitely totally didn't understand (most of my friends at any given time).
Ironically it was a coworker who had been diagnosed in his 30s and had since experienced his life drastically improving, who approached me. He told me I should get tested, but I was extremely skeptical. He then proceeded to nail me to the fucking wall by listing all the strange behaviors he'd observed, including shit I was shit doing while he was talking to me
In hindsight, it was extremely obvious. But it's so easy to chalk up to personal quirks and the default assumption is neuroptypical. Especially if you're over a certain age or part of an underserved group who didn't have access to mental health services.
Holy shit, that's a bit rough.
I'm late diagnosed autistic and ADHD, and whenever I have someone around me realise that they're neurodivergent I always insist that they be gentle with the people around them who are (suddenly) glaringly obviously neurodivergent themselves.
When I'm around undiagnosed neurodivergent people it just so happens that I often share reflections on my own realisations or my own behaviours which are relevant to what's going on for that undiagnosed ND person and they will either say something like "Shit, I do that too..." or they will be silently thinking it in their heads. Obviously I let them work through it on their own time but, to be honest with you, sometimes it takes a lot of effort not to lock eyes with them while deliberately nodding my head up and down slowly.
You have to go easy on people because being late-diagnosed can really feel like the rug is being pulled from under you.
The worst bit of this is when you're diagnosed at 30+, you ask your parents if they saw the signs or if you were a "good kid" and they're like "oh yeah you were hyperactive as shit lmao"